by boomer | Feb 23, 2015 | News
If you’re looking for new ideas to refresh your home, consider taking a few steps to boost your home’s positive energy.
Feng shui is the Chinese art of placement, and is based on the premise that people live healthy happy, prosperous lives when they live in harmoniously designed homes.
Feng shui consultant and interior designer Cynthia Chomos says that a few design fixes can even help with the resale of your home.
“A home purchase is one of the biggest and most significant purchases that a consumer will make. It’s where we rejuvenate and our lives flourish,” Chomos said. “Incorporating feng shui allows us to be more conscious and more intentional with the spaces we inhabit.”
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by boomer | Feb 21, 2015 | Accreditation, Recognition
During the weekends of October 10-11 and October 17-18, the Asheville Home Builders Association (AHBA) held its Annual Parade of Homes (POH). Every year builders all across the Asheville area show off recently constructed homes in a variety of developments and other communities for the general public to tour and enjoy. Both weekends were a great success and approximately 1000 people toured the home. Living Stone’s parade home was The Strittmatter’s home, which is based on their Skylar Grande semi-custom model.
In between the aforementioned weekends, the AHBA holds an awards ceremony to recognize and present builders awards in a variety of different categories. Living Stone Construction capped off a fantastic evening by winning the coveted Viewers Choice Award, the Green Certification award (NC Green Built Gold) and the silver craftsmanship award for it’s category. Living Stone also won a PACE award for Best Public Relations Event for the Ricky Harwood Fundraiser. ID.ology Interior Design, Living Stone’s design partner, won a PACE award for Best Interior Merchandising for Dana and Cherrie Roberts’ Timberpeg home Living Stone built.
President Sean Sullivan said, “I believe the relationship and partnership Living Stone Construction has with our trade partners was key to this years successful POH.”
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by boomer | Jan 3, 2013 | Craftsman Floor Plans, Floor Plans & Design Ideas
All of our semi-custom plans are fully customizable to create your ONE OF A KIND home.
Price: Starting on your lot at $535,000
Contact: Sean Sullivan 828.669.4343
Features: Energy Star Certified, NC Green Built Home, Universally designed plan
Click here to see a 360 degree virtual tour!
The Skylar Grande is an upgrade to our popular Skylar model that adds a screen porch, formal dining room, and a stone chimney. It is a universally designed home that not only boasts a quaint craftsman architectural feel, but also incredibly energy efficient construction. This floor plan works well for families of all size and ages. Since it has two bedrooms with two full baths on the main level, it works great for families with younger children, but since it also has two bedrooms upstairs, it also works well for the next generation to accommodate guests or a home office. Click “read more” to see more photos, floor plans and more!
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by boomer | Dec 17, 2012 | News
Click on the microphone to listen to this podcast! Guest: John Petri, Petri Architecture In part from “Patterns of Home” by Max Jacobson, Murray Silverstein and Barbara Winslow, with eye of adjustment towards resale. Ignoring Site Characteristics (trying to force preconceived ideas or plans) Insufficient programming (thinking/talking it through) Over building (too much square footage can weaken design integrity) Poor Circulation (function of space and relationship to neighboring space) Indoor/Outdoor relationships (underused) Lacking sufficient light Layering spaces (when to – when not to) and Creating Spaces In Between Proportions (functional & aesthetic) & Curb Appeal Materials & Colors (stay neutral/classic w/o professional assistance) Resale … remember resale!! (design for yourself yes, but consider 2nd owner)
by boomer | Dec 17, 2012 | News
Click on the microphone to listen to this podcast! 1) Proper sloping grades, decks, driveways, roofs use of gravel and grade drains 2) Gutters Most hazardous homeowner project is cleaning gutters: simple to do, but dangerous important but most often neglected Clogged gutters result in rotten fascias and mold in walls Clogged gutter drains result in leaky basements and moldy foundations size, type, guards 3) Waterproofing Exterior foundation Interior systems 4) Drains/Drainage Run gutters away from house If you don’t use gutters, you can use grade drains 5) Mold Where it can happen What to do if you get it 6) Dehumidifcation techniques Dehumidification system on HVAC unit, Portable dehumidifier, Heat pump, heat pump water heater 7) Rain Gardens A rain garden is a planted depression or a hole that allows rainwater runoff from impervious urban areas like roofs, driveways, walkways, parking lots, and compacted lawn areas the opportunity to be absorbed. This reduces rain runoff by allowing stormwater to soak into the ground (as opposed to flowing into storm drains and surface waters which causes erosion, water pollution, flooding, and diminished groundwater).[1] They can be designed for specific soils and climates.[2] The purpose of a rain garden is to improve water quality in nearby bodies of water. Rain gardens can cut down on the amount of pollution reaching creeks and streams by up to 30%.[3] Native plants are recommended for rain gardens because they generally do not require fertilizer and are more tolerant of one’s local climate, soil, and water conditions, and attract local wildlife such as native birds. The plants — a selection of wetland edge vegetation, such as wildflowers, sedges, rushes, ferns, shrubs and small trees — take up excess water flowing into the rain garden. Water filters through soil layers before entering the groundwater system. Root systems enhance infiltration, maintain or even augment soil permeability, provide moisture redistribution, and sustain diverse microbial populations involved in biofiltration.[4] Also, through the process of transpiration, rain garden plants return water vapor to the atmosphere.[5] A more wide-ranging definition covers all the possible elements that can be used to capture, channel, divert, and make the most of the natural rain and snow that falls on a property. The whole garden can become a rain garden, and each component of the whole can become a small-scale rain garden in itself. Construction related water issues: 8) Erosion Control Erosion control is the practice of preventing or controlling wind or water erosion in agriculture, land development and construction. Effective erosion controls are important techniques in preventing water pollution and soil loss. 9) Impervious Surfaces Impervious surfaces are mainly artificial structures—such as pavements (roads, sidewalks, driveways and parking lots) that are covered by impenetrable materials such as asphalt, concrete, brick, and stone--and rooftops. Soils compacted by urbandevelopment are also highly impervious. 10) Stormwater Stormwater is water that originates during precipitation events. It may also be used to apply to water that originates with snowmelt that enters the stormwater system. Stormwater that does not soak into the ground becomes surface runoff, which either flows directly into surface waterways or is channeled into storm sewers, which eventually discharge to surface waters. Stormwater is of concern for two main issues: one related to the volume and timing of runoff water (flood control and water supplies) and the other related to potential contaminants that the water is carrying, 11) Low-Impact Development LID is an approach to land development (or re-development) that works with nature to manage stormwater as close to its source as possible. LID employs principles such as preserving and recreating natural landscape features, minimizing effective imperviousness to create functional and appealing site drainage that treat stormwater as a resource rather than a waste product. There are many practices that have been used to adhere to these principles such as bioretention facilities, rain gardens, vegetated rooftops, rain barrels, and permeable pavements. By implementing LID principles and practices, water can be managed in a way that reduces the impact of built areas and promotes the natural movement of water within an ecosystem or watershed. Applied on a broad scale, LID can maintain or restore a watershed's hydrologic and ecological functions. LID has been characterized as a sustainable stormwater practice by the Water Environment Research Foundation and others.
